


Like the Changing of the Leaves

by RoseAmaranth



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Confessions, Cute, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff, I Ship It, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mizler, Pre-Relationship, Realizations, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 04:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20901869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseAmaranth/pseuds/RoseAmaranth
Summary: Carving pumpkins. Toddlers playing in pumpkin guts. What could be better?





	Like the Changing of the Leaves

**Author's Note:**

> Note: Edited on 7/6/2020

Mike set the pumpkins on the table with a grunt and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the collar of his shirt. Every year he managed to forget just how hot it could get in California – even in October – and walking around lugging heavy pumpkins while wearing snug jeans was probably not helping his situation. Speaking of 'not helping', a certain someone seemed to be too busy screwing around to help lug the four large – and _heavy_ \- pumpkins into the kitchen from the car. And now that he was thinking of him, it occurred to him he hasn't seen the man in a little while.

Which, knowing that duo, only meant trouble for him. So, with a final look over the table, he turned to start his search through the house. Calling on occasion and regretting his decision to buy the large two-story house in the sprawling green yards of one of the nicer neighborhoods in California as he scaled a flight of stairs _twice_ and had over ten doors to poke his head through in search of the missing man and toddler. Seriously, three people – two being men who didn't take up much space and a small child – and a few animals did not need this much space! He was going to look for somewhere smaller to live, because this was ridiculous.

On the bright side, with all this heavy lifting and jogging he had to do, maybe he could skip out on the gym tomorrow morning.

“Ziggler! Monroe! Anyone here?!” Mocha, his Doberman, trotted out of one of the bedrooms. Looking sufficiently bothered as she passed him, shaking off her irritation. But he found himself sighing in relief, smiling because there was only one thing that bothered his girl so much. And the sound of his daughter giggling brought him to the doorway, his heart melting into a bubbling puddle on the floor when he found her wriggling in the air. Dolph on his back and making this airplane noise that Monroe seemed to love if her laughter was anything to go by. The squeals and flapping limbs as Dolph trilled loudly, flying her all around the 'sky' above him and making faces at her. 

He dipped her to the side, Monroe's squeals deafening before he righted her once more. Talking to her in this voice Mike never heard before but that made him laugh. Quietly, to himself, so they wouldn't stop just because he was there watching. And then his heart jumped into his throat as Dolph thrust her into the air a few inches, his stomach clenching painfully even though he knew Dolph was right there and very capable of catching her.

In all his thoughts and fantasies about being a father, he never imagined himself as the worrying type. He wanted to be the fun dad, who indulged his son or daughter and did all kinds of fun things with them. Including tossing them up in the air just to make them giggle. But when he held Monroe in his arms the first time, and felt how fragile she was, there was no way he was going to start throwing her around in any way. Becoming a father brought out this new side to him and opened his eyes to all the things that were not child-friendly in what he watched, listened to, had around the house. He worried over her every movement, but he was working on loosening up a bit. 

She was two, after all. 

It was nice to see Dolph so excited about spending time with her, seeing as up until recently he refused to be left alone with her or even hold her. But there were things to do before someone got cranky, so after admiring them together for another minute, he softly cleared his throat.

“Hey, the pumpkins are in. No thanks to you, by the way.” Dolph sat them up, dropping Monroe in his lap, and turned to offer him a rather dashing smile. One that made him feel warm and sunny all over. 

“We're coming, dad. Right, Roe Boat?” The excited toddler jumped onto still unsteady feet and hopped around a few times, clapping and squealing as Dolph got up. Grunting and grinning after her as she dashed past him and around Mike's legs towards the kitchen. Dolph rolled his eyes and gestured for him to go ahead, the two of them finding Monroe in one of the chairs at the table, waiting for them with little hands on her hips. Demanding and not at all happy about having to wait on the slowpoke adults she lived with.

It was the first time she got to work on a pumpkin with Mike, so she was impatient and excited at the prospect of painting her very own pumpkin for Halloween.

Monroe and Dolph started working on getting the newspaper spread out across the (very expensive and clean) table they would be working on, Mike hurrying to grab the knives, markers, and paints. Bringing them in and handing the paint to Dolph, who opened everything and squirt a few spots of paint on the paper so she had colors to work with. Then he showed her how to wet the brush, dip it in the red dot, and hold it in her hand. Drawing a big 'M' on the newspaper that had her giggling happily and eager to get to work on her own. 

While he watched them together, Dolph guiding her haphazard movements and praising her work, there was this bright _feeling_ inside him. Something small and special that took his breath away. He couldn't explain it, no words able to articulate that ball of sunshine in his chest. Feeling silly, he turned his face away and focused back on the task at hand. 

With Monroe busy with her colors, waving and flicking the brush as she pleased, Mike handed a knife and pen to Dolph. The plan was for each of them to carve one of their own pumpkins to compare – because it wasn't an activity with Mike if it wasn't competitive in some way – and then they would decide on something to do with the last one together. With that in mind, he turned his design away so Dolph couldn't see it and got to work sliding the marker over the smooth flesh of the pumpkin. Trying to perfect his design while glancing up every few minutes as Dolph commented on Monroe's muddy pumpkin. And of course Dolph was already finished with his design, hands inside the pumpkin and muscles flexing as he scraped the insides out. 

As the guts and seeds appeared on the table, Monroe focused less on her paint project and more on the orange slimy stuff Dolph was now ripping out of one of the larger pumpkins. Her eyes grew wider as the mound piled up, her nose scrunched up when she leaned over and poked at it curiously with a small finger. Dolph too finally noticed the little girl inspecting the goopy mess he was making, her brown eyes wide and voice shrill when Dolph flicked some of what was stuck to his hands towards her spot.

“Come 'ere, Monroe. This stuff feels really neat.” Mike snickered when she hesitated, glancing between them and then the disgusting pumpkin guts with skeptical eyes. Finally, with an encouraging nod from them both, she crawled up onto the table to get better access and plunged her hands into the mess. Squealing and yanking them out right away. Flicking stringy orange clumps all over his dining room and wrinkling her nose when her hands remained sticky and gross. 

“Ewwie!!” He finally cut the top off his pumpkin and began emptying the contents onto the table, Monroe whipping around and scurrying over to slap her hands in his pile. Dolph watched her with beaming pride, so Mike shot him a glare over her head and shook his head.

“You're bathing her, you asshole.” The exaggerated shock in Dolph's face had him doubled over in laughter, tears pricking behind his eyes as he tried to regain control. It was just...he wasn't sure which one of them had the more ridiculous facials. And though there was this pleased look on his face when Mike finally stopped laughing, he crossed his arms and clicked his tongue.

“Swearing around the baby. Michael, I'm disappointed in you. You're supposed to be setting a _good_ example for sweet little Monroe.” He gestured to the toddler currently making her home in the pumpkin guts, continuing to splatter the sticky orange pieces everywhere. Seriously, this place was going to be a disaster and it was all Dolph's fault. He peals of laughter at the massive clumps she squished between her hands over and over somewhat made up for it; that is, unless it gave Mike a headache.

Then Dolph was definitely dead.

“Asshole! Asshole! Ziggy is an asshole!” They both stared at her in real shock, Dolph gesturing to her with this look as if to say _'See what you've done now?'_ Yeah, okay. Mike knew he needed to get a handle on his mouth, but come on! Dolph deserved it! After all, it was his fault his daughter was now covered head to toe in sticky, disgusting, messy pumpkin guts. Even her pretty white flower romper was now a sickly orange color and basically ruined.

It was going to be a nightmare cleaning her – and this room – up.

“You know I don't mind spending time with her, so no problem there. Monroe is quite possibly my favorite Mizanin!” Mike snorted, discarding more guts on the table.

“I'm telling my dad that. His heart will be broken to hear his best friend – possibly his adopted son if he can get his way – prefers my daughter over him.” Dolph made a face at him before catching Monroe's attention, smiling at her when she held out some of the guts for him to take. Which he didn't, of course.

“Hey, Monrose? How about a bubbly bath? Doesn't that sound fun?” She perked up instantly, abandoning her mess while Mike scraped at the inside of his pumpkin. He knew they wouldn't be able to actually finish the carving until she was down for a nap, but he figured it would be best to have them cleaned out and ready to go. 

“You two are a couple of menaces. Bubble baths always lead to _me_ having to clean up the bathroom after!” Dolph scooped the toddler off the table, Mike's annoyance washing away in an instant as he watched Monroe giggle when a kiss from Dolph was pressed to her cheek. They may be a terrible duo, at least for his sanity, but he couldn't deny how much it warmed his heart to see them so close already. 

Once his was finished, he cut open the last pumpkin and emptied it onto the table too. It was going to be a late night if they didn't get this one sorted out now. They needed time to dry so they could put candles inside them safely and put it on the stoop outside. The sun was sinking into the horizon when he peeked out the window, Dolph and Monroe's excited chatter echoing around the house and making him both roll his eyes and laugh to himself. Picturing the two of them destroying his bathroom while playing mermaids or pirates or sea monster. 

And, really, he couldn't mind it too much. Especially when he found them a few minutes later in her room, Monroe wrapped in her unicorn towel and Dolph shirtless. Holding up two different outfits and waiting for her to pick one. A rather conflicting rush of sensations hit him as he watched. 

Adoration at the adorable duo. Something hot and electric under his skin as his gaze dragged over flexing muscle. He was probably red-faced at the moment, but he couldn't tear himself away from the doorway. Soaking in their adorable conversation and wondering if it was the best or worst things he's ever done, letting Dolph move in with them.

After a snack and half a movie, Monroe was asleep. Slumped against him. Dolph paused in eating the handful of popcorn as Mike stood up with Monroe in his arms. Asking questions with his eyes and clearly ready to jump up and help if he was needed. Mike shook his head and shuffled up the stairs and down the hall, laying Monroe in her bed and tucking her in. Kissing her head and admiring her sleeping face. Already mourning the day when she wasn't small and daddy's little girl.

Dolph was at the door when he stepped into the hallway, peering in and then stepping away when Mike pulled the door nearly closed. 

“Think we'll be able to finish the carving before she wakes again?” Dinner would be in an hour or so, which was about how long her naps were during the day. After all the excitement of going to the pumpkin patch and playing with Dolph, though, he hoped she was down for the night. 

“I'm praying she just stays asleep. That's why I gave her a bit of an early dinner. She's clearly exhausted.” Dolph nodded, leading them back into the dining room and hurrying over to his pumpkin before Mike could sneak a peek at the drawing on it. They spent a while in silence, carving their designs with practiced ease until finally, they both finished. 

“You first.” Dolph stuck his tongue out, turning the pumpkin until he could see the intricate unicorn design carved into it. With a haughty smirk, he revealed the cat he carved into his. He could admit that Dolph's was pretty spectacular, though he knew in his heart that Dolph somehow cheated. Because how was it that much better than his? Obviously he had help in some way because there was no other way he lost. While they were standing together facing the pumpkins and judging their work, he shoved at the man in the dimly lit room. Something light fluttering in his chest when blue eyes crinkled and Dolph laughed. 

Looking to sever the stupid thoughts crowding his brain, he plopped the final pumpkin in the prime carving spot. Checking it over until he found the best place to cut into. Turning to Dolph, he gestured to the pumpkin.

“What should we carve into this one?” He mused. Dolph stepped forward and pulled it across the table, glaring when Mike tried to peek at whatever it was he was drawing with the pen. The cap clicked into place, eyes nervously meeting his as Dolph hesitated. Though he tried to play it off as teasing, like he was building anticipation for a big reveal, it was clear he was having some reluctance to share. 

But Mike's limited patience ran out quickly, and the gnawing emptiness in his stomach won over the insistence that he shouldn't push Dolph. 

“Stop making me wait! I want to carve this damn thing so we can eat.” Unsurprisingly, Dolph chuckled. Giving his design another look, he quickly turned it to him. And when he finally got a look at it, take it in, his breath caught and he found himself coming closer. Like maybe he wasn't seeing it right and needed to examine it better. But there was no mistaking what was drawn on the orange skin. 

It wasn't anything complicated or artistic. It wasn't even a picture of anything. In black Sharpie were the initials of Mike, Monroe, and Dolph. Written in block lettering, which would look fantastic once they were done carving it. One look and he absolutely loved it. But he didn't want to read into it or anything, so he admired it for a moment and then glanced up at Dolph's face. 

“Is this your way of asking to be part of the family? Because I'm pretty sure we've already accepted you as one of us. My dad certainly has. The son he never had and all that.” Making a joke seemed the safest option at the moment, as emotions he hasn't considered before choked him. Dolph shrugged, glancing down at the letter scrawled on the pumpkin. Hands playing with the marker.

“I've been, you know, thinking about this for a little while. About...well, about a few things, actually. Living here with you two has brought some things to light for me, but I know you've got your hands full with Monroe. I'm certainly not going to push or do anything unless I get the all-clear, but man. I just can't stop myself from thinking about this right here. Being part of everything instead of just here experiencing it.” He tapped the initials with the tip of the marker, though his eyes remained dropped away. There was such a mix of emotions at what he's just heard. Fear twisting around grief; surprise dancing close with bright joy. 

It was true that Monroe was his focus these days, and he didn't have much time or energy to take on anything else. But having Dolph around was not a burden or anything. He made Monroe happy and took much of the weight off Mike's shoulders so he could relax some. In many ways he fit right into their lives, and now Mike was staring in the face of one of the more unexpected roles he could take on. 

It wasn't often someone got a second chance at love. And rarely with someone as special as the first person they fell in love with. But here it was, presented to him in the dining room at eight in the evening. All the foreign feelings about the man from the past few weeks jumped to the front of his mind, and he was pleased to see they weren't wasted emotions. 

“By 'this' you mean...” Finally, Dolph looked up at him. His smile a touch shy as he nodded, all the meaning and emotion in the burning flames of his eyes. And how funny was it that this wasn't totally weird? Like, you would think having your best friend of over a decade looking at you like _that_ would be the most insane and unbelievable thing ever. But he didn't. 

Well, okay, it was a _little_ strange. Not unpleasant, though. Especially with the way he's been looking back here lately. Just earlier. If he wanted to be brought into the family properly, in all the ways that implied, Mike was more than happy to let him. Maybe not yet; not right away. But he wasn't against it in the slightest.

“I know it's probably the last thing on your mind, but I wanted to let you know how I'm feeling now. Before something awkward happens and makes things weird. And I don't expect you to want that – with me or anyone else – after everything. But I couldn't keep it in anymore. I care about you both a lot, and I want to be as much a part of this as I can.” Yeah, they could do that. He wasn't there yet, but it wasn't as far off and impossible as Dolph might think.

If he knew what Mike was thinking just earlier while looking at him...

“I think we can make that work. If you're serious about all this, we'll figure that out with time.” He tapped the pumpkin, smiling sweetly. “But let's focus on getting this thing carved so we can eat. And then we can talk things out some more, if you want.”

Diving into a relationship so soon after his wife passed wasn't in the cards right now, not with fatherhood weighing him down too. But if Monroe taught him anything, it was that baby steps forward were still steps. Mike took over the carving, aware of eyes watching him and trying not to preen under the new implications of this attention. Keep himself from flexing and showing off like he was prone to doing. 

“We're doing this whole thing backwards. Me living here, moving in, and then talking about being in a relationship or whatever.” He nearly dropped the knife he was holding as Dolph squealed and fell onto the floor, having slipped on some pumpkin guts Monroe dropped. And there he was, dying of laughter once again. Guts flicked at him and staining his white shirt. Popping the cut pieces out of their spots, he considered Dolph's statement. Butterflies swarming in his chest while his organs twisted around inside him.

He never thought so late in his life he would ever be considering _dating_ because he never expected to be back on the market. Not when Monroe was born and everything seemed both so permanent and yet so fluid at the same time. Changing like the leaves each September. And he certainly never thought one of his closest friends would be the person he saw himself interested in like that, but hey. Crazier things happened in life. 

They would take this thing one day at a time. If it worked out? Fantastic! And if it didn't? Well, they still had their friendship to lean on.

“Honestly, our lives are far from normal anyway. I'd say this fits us just fine.” The letters were finally cut out, Mike and Dolph admiring the work before turning to meet the other's eyes. Breath caught in his lungs before Dolph gestured to the kitchen.

“I'm going to get dinner going. If we leave it up to you, we'll end up starving as you throw away the burned remains of what was supposed to be our food.” His glare was cut short by his mouth curling into a smile without his permission. Dolph disappeared, leaving him to finish fixing up the pumpkins and lining them up on the table. Admiring their work and thinking of the many Halloweens they could possibly have together in the future. 

Sneaking over to the kitchen, he watched Dolph set pots on the stove-top and pull ingredients out of the fridge. That same melted feeling from hours ago returning with a pinch of something hot in his chest because for some reason watching him move around the kitchen, almost dancing compared to his own clumsy maneuvering, was attractive to him. 

Who would have thought? Certainly not him.

They spent the next half hour together, Dolph cooking while Mike sat on one of the stools. Tasting whatever was passed to him and cutting up things when asked. Grinning at the blush settling on Dolph's face when he made a pleased noise after tasting the thick sauce. Sweeping his tongue over his lips to make sure he got everything (and maybe to tease a little). 

“You're less helpful in here than a literal two-year-old. Michael, I swear...”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Also, I wrote this with a friend in mind. Happy birthday, Laura! :D


End file.
